Poll: Casey Leads Santorum by 14 Points

Filed at 1:11 p.m. ET

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Democratic state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr., who hopes to challenge Republican Sen. Rick Santorum next year, increased his lead to 14 points in a poll released Wednesday.

Casey, the son of a former governor, was favored in the Quinnipiac University poll, taken amid Santorum's high-profile push of President Bush's Social Security overhaul plan and his backing of the recent congressional intervention in the Terri Schiavo case.

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Casey was favored by 49 percent of respondents in the telephone poll, conducted April 13 to Monday. Thirty-five percent supported Santorum, while 13 percent were undecided.

A poll in February showed Casey was favored by 46 percent of respondents to 41 percent for Santorum.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Senate-Poll.html?

but ole' "turd-blossom" hasn't worked his magic yet....the lies will be outrageous

But, here's to a looking forward to a new day in PA!
:9

put in that race. I hope it holds up.

He might be a good candidate, however I do not believe a candidate who is anti-choice and supports the pharmacists' decision to deny prescriptions of emergency contraception is necessarily "the best" Democratic candidate.

I think Chuck Pennacchio is by far the more Democratic candidate who would best represent our party.

It is also been said Mr. Casey supported the invasion of the Iraq War. I don't have a link for that, but I will try and find more information to clarify.

To me those are not Democratic principles I'm looking for in a candidate. I didn't realize that someone who does not support my rights and choices as a woman was the best Democratic candidate. Says who?

I am particularly concerned as well that some of our Democratic leaders seem to feel inclined to circumvent the voices and choices of Pennsylvanians by unDemocratically appointing a candidate before the primary has even occured. We set a dangerous precedent when those in establishment start picking and choosing their pet candidates. Namely those who are anti-choice.

It's not my vote to make, but I would think most Pennsylvanians are looking for someone who best reflects and supports the rights of all Americans and supports the core principles of the Democratic party. I do not think Mr. Casey reflects the core principles of our party. I think he supports more of what the Republican party seems to stand for. In the end, it should be up to the voters of Pennsylvania to choose.

Meant by his statement is that Casey's the best candidate to win in this particular race. Obviously pretty much everyone here has there ideological differences with Casey, but Casey would probably be the best bet to beat Man-Don-Dog

by running candidates who are Republican lite?

I think we all remember John Kerry. He didn't win and his candidacy was very much Republican lite. Or maybe he did in fact win, but he didnt fight for it. What's interesting is Mr. Casey strikes me that not even Republican lite.

He's certainly comes across light years nicer and more stately than Santorum, but is that reason enough to vote for him?

No doubt he is not rabidly rude, hateful and crazy like Santorum, but I don't think he reflects a difference in philosophy that would offer much of a difference than that of a Republican.

What also concerns Pennsylvanian voters is not knowing enough information on his positions. His anti-choice position has pretty much foreshadowed everything else.

And, there is another candidate.

His name is Chuck Pennacchio and hes seems to be more of the real deal in terms of reflecting Democratic true beliefs. .

I think its time we stop allowing and deferring to Democratic establishment, or ANY establishment for that matter, to decide candidates for us, by pushing other candidates out of running in the primary, especially those candidates who might better reflect our Democratic policies.

In the end, if Casey wins, Pennsylvanians can put their support behind him. In the meantime, there's a candidate that better reflects and I believe will better protect Democratic core principles. His name is Chuck Pennacchio.

and support and do whatever you can for Pennachio, but if he loses in the primary which in all likelihood he will put your support behind Casey, Pennachio himself has said as much. Defeating Santorum would be huge because he's third in the Repub. Senate leadership and if he survives 06 will become the Republican Whip in the Senate. Plus he's got quite a few people mentioning him for Pres in 08 but more realistically will likely be on a lot of short lists for VP.

Of course with the electronic voting machines which our leaders refuse to address, anything is up for grabs.

I keep wondering if there was actually a fair election, if Santorum wouldn't get his boot kicked into next year, along with Tom Delay, Bill Frist, and lest of all, our president.

That is the biggest issue in front of us: DRE voting and technological processing of ballots which eliminates transparency. Not even these races that we distract ourselves with.

I don't think the elections are legitimate now where there are electronic voting machines.

He ran to the right of Nixon on military spending and tax cuts.

n/t

John F. Kennedy owed his victorious bid for the presidency—as well as his success in reversing former president Dwight D. Eisenhower's military and economic policies while in office—largely to his ability to exploit fears of an alleged Soviet strategic superiority, famously known as the "missile gap." Capitalizing on American alarms about national security, within months after his inauguration, he won Congressional authorization for two supplemental defense appropriations that collectively increased the defense budget by more than fifteen percent. Yet, argues Christopher Preble, the missile gap was a myth. The Kennedy administration perpetuated that myth to justify a massive military build-up that had profound implications for both the domestic economy and for American foreign relations.

http://www3.niu.edu/univ_press/books/332-6.htm

I hardly knew the difference between a nuclear weapon and a conventional weapon. But my introduction and indoctrination was swift, because a major element of the election campaign that President Kennedy had just won was the charge by the Democrats, including President Kennedy, that Eisenhower had left a missile gap; that the Soviets had been permitted, by inaction on the part of the U.S., to build up a superior nuclear missile force.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/12/interviews/mcnamara/

Also on the domestic front, in 1963 Kennedy proposed a tax reform that included income tax cuts, but this was not passed by the Congress until after his death in 1964. It is one of the largest tax cuts in modern U.S. history, surpassing the Reagan tax cut of 1981.

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:w3TXQtgRchEJ:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy+john+f.+kennedy+%22tax+cut%22&hl=en

President John F. Kennedy cut taxes, saying, "A rising tide lifts all boats."

http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/faceoff/Articles/a2003-06-25-2001taxcut.html

in regards to the military. The fact is that he kept us out of war with the soviet union and he probably paid for that decision with his life.
He built up weapons because at that time the cold war weapons build up made sense.
He cut taxes for the same reason. Taxes were sky high and should have been cut. You can't measure what he did out of context.

I like what Pennacchio has to say , but he's too liberal for Pa....You got to start somewhere!

I think people fall into the trap of assuming just because someone calls themself a Democrat, it doesnt necessarily mean they will vote a Democratic line, and it doesnt necessarily mean they will have your best interests at heart. That is something you will have to decide for yourself when you vote in the primary.

We've seen lot's of people calling themselves a Democrat lately, but their votes have proven quite the contrary.

If I were a Pennsylvanian I would find out more about both Caseys' positions and Pennacchios' positions. That way I could make a more qualified decision and one Im comfortable making.

If Casey wins, then there you have it. But that is why a primary is a PRIMARY. It allows voters CHOICES so they can pick a candidate that they like. When the general election comes around, you can throw your support behind the winner of the primary.

The key here is CHOICE (in more ways than one*). Democrats and Republicans alike should always have a few choices in the Primary. Looks like Pennsylvania will only have two and honestly, thats unfortunate. Choices is what the primary is all about. It's not for Democratic leaders, or Republican leaders to pick the one candidate and yank or push out of the race other candidates from running. That's a Democracy no-no***

In what way?

Casey is both Catholic and pro-life....agreed you'll need to get past the pro-life position...but these two things take away Santorums only atvantage....Few people like Ricky, but they will vote for him on these issues. As soon as they send in Karl Rove and all Ricky's war chest, no one else will have a Chance except Casey . Casey is backed by Rendell. One may debate Rendell, but he has a LOT of money and power. Don't put yourself in a lose-lose situation on this issue. When it come to the abortion issue , Casey will lay low once elected. If Specter has to step down due to illness, Rendell will appoint Barbra Hafer, this will give you two dems' in the Senate. Take it one step at a time. There's a lot of ground that needs to be reclaimed.

The party has it's collective head up it's ass. Pro-choice democrats win in Pa in statewide races. Anti-choice candidates lose.
Polls are meaningless at this point and are the party equivalent of a terror warning... Democratic party propaganda.

Casey unpopular stance on abortion is practically a non-issue. Casey has a strong name in PA and is very popular with the center and even some on the moderate right.

Sure, I'd rather see penacchio or someone more liberal but he's what we got and is infinitely better than santorum could ever be on his best day.

There may be other primary candidates who better represent my beliefs (though I'm not sure) but I'm voting Casey in the primary regardless. Beating Santorum is paramount. Casey is the only PA Dem who can beat Santorum. We can't afford to have Santorum keep that seat.

People obviously are concerned about his pro-life position. At least he's consistent in the sense that he believes in supporting children that are born into difficult situations.

that +1 by 11/06.

I'm not an expert in Pennsylvania politics, and I know there is still a primary and perhaps he's not the best candidate we have.

Still, it's great to see a dem with a 14 point lead!

Casey will beat santorum. he reaches across party lines and will take a large part of the moderate vote. He'll win the urban areas as any dem would but he's really popular with moderates and older people....nit to mention he'll slam Santorum in Northeastern PA where Casey, and I, are from. Our area already leans Dem...casey will make it a landslide.

Is he perfect?? No. Would I prefer Penacchio? Yes. But he's the best bet to oust santorum and gain a senate seat.